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There are a few things that still don't gel with me:
(1)Would not the the insurers need to have the V5 before they could issue a cat.C scrapping order?

The short answer is no.They should do but it does not always happen.I have repaired cat c cars where the old log book is there but is void.

Originally Posted by Snowball

(2)He says that he is still driving the vehicle, and it must therefore have a current MoT, so how can this situation arise?

Just because it is a write off it does not invalidate the mot.
It is just a request from some insurance companies to request a new mot to prove to them that the car is still roadworthy after a crash.

Originally Posted by Snowball

(3)Insurers can call a vehicle "scrap" simply because it is cheaper (worth less than repair costs) for them to do so, but does not necessarily have to be unroadworthy.

Yes true.
It has nothing to do with a vehicle being roadworthy or repairable.It is all to do with cost to repair against value.
I think the figure is about 60%.So if the repair will cost close to 60% of the vehicles value it is a write off as admin costs etc will put it over its value.

Originally Posted by Snowball

(4)Obviously, if he keeps the car, he does not get the "scrap(?)" value, but also does not have to buy the car back, because it is still his property.

HE gets salvage value and if the salvage value is less than the payout then he gets cash on top too.So lets say salvage is £250 and the payout offered is £1800 he would get the car back plus £1550.
So he has to but it back form them as it becomes their property.Or he takes a full cash payout and thay keep the car.

Originally Posted by Snowball

I still think there is some mileage in contacting CIB and/or the insurance ombudsman, as the insurer's actions appear to be cloudy, so say the least.

I am not sure they do.The owner started a claim with them,they have looked at the car and declared it a write off.
He may get some more money for its value but that's about all but then again I do not know the full details.
Getting work done to any vehicle when it is going through a claim is daft especially when it is general maintenance that they very rarely take into account prior to an accident.

One thing to bear in mind, is that when an insurer pays out for a write-off, they are, in essence, buying it from the owner. It is then usually up to the insurer as to whether to offer the original owner the opportunity of buying it back. I know some insurance companies are very loath to sell back to original owners as they have their 'pet' purchasers. Said purchasers will then repair the car and sell on to the public, making quite a lot of money out of it. Alternatively, they may well sell to a Salvage company, who will break the car for usually a lot more than it is worth.
(Most cars are written-off because of cost of new parts, but this doesn't stop the puchaser mentioned above from repairing with second-hand parts.)

I think there was a breakdown from the start. I refused my first offer from the insurance man ( I thought everyone did that) anyway he told me i had to find evidence of current value for my car. Then he said for every car I find which costs more than he offerred me, he could find one cheaper. Really it has been a battle from the off.